Your deeds make you what you are, not your intentions
"Flaky… I will never be able to repay you for your kindness." Shifty said sheepishly. In all these years he expected many emotions regarding him and his brother, kindness was none of them.
"You won´t have to. It is working rather well for me momentarily" Flaky stated nonchalantly, rousing Shifty's curiosity. "Is that so? What is your current occupation if I may ask?" Flaky, a little surprised by his question mustered a weak smile "Do you remember the time Giggles and Petunia tried to sell fresh-made lemonade on a stand?"
Of course, he remembered, he remembered all too well, especially the time he and his brother overpowered both to get the either fresh-made money they made. But it wouldn´t be a good idea telling her that now, so he decided to play the unknowing one.
"No, I don´t. Is it that prosperous to sell drinks in the outside? I could understand it if it were summer, but we have the beginning of autumn."
Flaky couldn´t help but chuckle a bit. "No silly, they don´t have an open stand in the outside anymore. Both of them together with Russell are running a restaurant and I am allowed to work together with Toothy and Sniffles as waitress. Giggles, Petunia and Russell are benevolent entrepreneurs and gave us an extra fee. It is running rather good momentarily." Flaky said, trailing off a bit. Shifty could sense a strong shimmer of happiness in her. Something he rarely saw from her due to her anxiety.
"That sounds awesome, good for you that you can get at least a little bliss out of this place…" The raccoon said, getting a little envious to the fact that her life goes so well. It wasn´t really a matter to them that people have things that they don´t have. If they wanted it too badly they just stole it. But you can´t steal happiness, and that is something they both secretly are craving for.
The rest of the way Shifty became solemn and remained silent. The rain drenching his fedora was by now the only sound accompanying them as he suddenly heard a scream. Puzzled but also alerted he turned around together with Flaky to spot a screaming Cuddles driving a car.
"Oh no…" Flaky murmured shocked and it didn´t took them long to realize that Cuddles was coming closer on rapid speed, his screaming implying that he isn´t going to halt so soon. He desperately tries to halt but as he sees them he rapidly swings the steering wheel to avoid crushing them. Unable to perform another dodge in time he crashes into a street lamp.
Flaky and Shifty cower down as fast as they could to avoid the ricocheting splinters of glass, tainted with the blood of the mutilated bunny-driver.
Shifty shivered but he couldn´t resist the urge to look up anymore and sighed in relief as it seems to be over. "Hell, I´m glad the brackets of our van weren´t revolting like this…Are you…" He was cut short as he could see that Flaky didn´t stand up and recognize a pool of blood underneath her. He could avoid that terrible fate but Flaky wasn´t that lucky. He turned her around but even her face was far from recognizable anymore as it was filled with shards. Seeing her like this nauseated him and he had to struggle not to vomit. As he kept control he saw her wallet lying right next to her.
"What is taking him so long?" Lifty asked himself. He was used to feeling hungry but knowing that his brother was on his way to afford something to eat made this sensation definitely less bearable. He tries to get up from the floor, but it is indescribable hard. He feels a sadness looming over him making any enterprise, regardless of the difficulty, almost impossible to do. It is as if tar is filling his veins and he feels a slight narrowness in his chest. But he isn´t able to make out the reason.
As he attempts to leave their bedroom he almost trips over the blanket he has sent down the moment he left his bed and was brought to bottom once again. Slightly irritated, he has to put a little less effort in standing up now. As he was torn out of his melancholy he noticed an unpleasant smell and sniffed his body. A little bit disgusted by his own odor he grunted and made his way to the bathroom. "Maybe luck is on my side today and we have some warm water to shower in…" He joked. Luck is something so miraculous that it can be considered non-existent. The moment he turned on the shower proved that as only cold water came out.
"Fucking great…" Against all odds he goes in nonetheless. A could shower isn´t a nice experience, but he thought a deteriorating smell as worse. But as soon as he got in the cold water didn´t bother him much as he was brought once again in deep thoughts. The food Shifty would bring won´t last long enough to relax, soon they would have to plan another heist. Getting a job was a pleasant thought but regarding their reputation this was nothing but a mere dream. A life filled with death, thievery and an eternal struggle against complete poverty is always accompanying them. He can´t even remember times in which they lived different, more prosperous. And this is slowly getting the best of him.
He turned off the shower and rubbed his fur with his towel, it wasn´t really clean but it was good enough for him to not care about that. The moment he left the bathroom he heard the house door opening slowly and a well too familiar voice. "Lifty? Could you…could you help me please?" Help him? With what? With the tiny amount of food, he could possibly afford? His fur still a little wet he went downstairs slowly but couldn´t believe what he just saw "Jeez! So much meat! So much bread! So much…blood on your fur? Gosh what happened? And how did it happen? You didn´t slaughter other people to afford that did you?"
"No, I didn´t… Although I must admit that this would be more likely compared to what actual happened. I met Flaky on the way to the market and well…told her a little bit about our situation…" Shifty confessed a little nervous as he expected his brother to become furious at this. But to his surprise he remained perfectly calm, yet almost apathetic "Well, it wouldn´t be a secret to keep easily anyways…" He said equanimous "And then?"
"Well… Flaky bought us all of this actually, she didn´t let me pay the tiniest bit of this. Help me put this in the fridge before all of this expires." With that said, Lifty didn´t wait long and helped his brother to store everything in its rightful place.
"Well but this doesn´t explain why you´re dappled with blood. Are you hurt?" Lifty was mostly the concerning one, but regarding Shifty's behavior towards him in finical situations, the concern about his well-being puzzled him "No I´m not hurt. On the way back, Cuddles had a crazy car crash. Long story short the shards of his windows came like shrapnel and shredded Flaky right next to me to pieces…"
As soon as everything was stowed he realized how clean his brother was and how…well, the way you are when the smell of dried sweat and blood clenches on your body, he is.
"I think I should clean myself right now. Would you mind preparing the meal? I would like to eat after that and we have to plan our next robbery."
"Sure, suit yourself." He said and watched his brother dawdling upstairs, he can tell that he´s exhausted. He takes out two meat loafs and fries them in the pan. At the same time, he prepared four slices of bread and took a few potatoes to give them to the now boiling water. Potatoes are one of his favorite vegetables, cheap, neutral in taste and nutritious. The meat didn´t take long until it was done, and the potatoes became perfectly tender. The plates prepared, he peeled the potatoes and decided to toast the bread as Shifty was still showering, he senses an unhealthy amount of cussing and cursing coming from the bathroom and chuckled at the thought of his brother and his struggle against his greatest existent nemesis, cold water. A rainy mood could become literal as Shifty's temper was literally degrading every time rain was pouring on his body. And like their shower the rain didn´t really think of being warm and pleasant to them.
With a cocky smile on his face he went upstairs to look after his brother, he knocked on the door and opened it slowly "Shifty? Dinner is prepared…" He cooed tauntingly as he looked at his brother's towel, slowly revealing a grumpy face. If gazes had the ability to kill, Lifty would be dead where he stands.
Without a word Shifty took the blow-dryer with the obvious intention to dry him off. Unlike Lifty, the cold is most certainly bothering him. A few moments later he was finished and sighed in relief and relaxation as suddenly his fur began to fluff. Lifty witnessed this embarrassing happening and pried his eyes wide open. There was now one mistake he was not allowed to do "Don´t you even think about laughing at me I dare you!" Shifty said with a threatening tone. But his frown was making him look like a furious toon poodle and Lifty couldn´t hold it anymore, bursting out in laughter.
"Stop it!" He shouted, shaking his brother, but as soon as he looked at the mirror he couldn´t help it and laugh himself both rocking with laughter. Without a word, it was hard to speak while laughing anyways, Lifty pulled out a comb out of the drawer and handed it to his brother. As soon as his fur was once again normalized and smooth, they went to the kitchen table and started to eat the still warm food.
"So… who´s our next target? Any suggestions?" Lifty asked while munching his meat-potato-sandwich. "Well I would like to choose someone who´s not so dangerous this time. Cuddles died today, and it will take him until 8 AM in the morning to "wake-up", so I guess our target couldn´t be an easier one." Lifty let his brother do the planning mostly. His plans were barely good ones but this time he couldn´t argue with his plan. It is indeed a good one. After they finished their meal the experience they made now was something to relish, the feeling of being saturated. "Well how about we get a bit of sleep? It´s 8pm and we could easily rob him at 3am. At this time everyone´s asleep and we will be a little more refreshed." Lifty suggested, hoping for his brother to agree with him. But he doesn´t have to fear any resistance, the day was taking it´s toll and Shifty was longing for at least a little rest as well. "Well, there´s nothing to say against it." With that said they both went to the bedroom, it didn´t take them long to fall asleep.
Lifty opened his eyes, but he still couldn´t see anything. He was all alone in a pitch-black area. He tried to shout, but only silence came out. Everything was mute. He tried to stand up, but he couldn't. It is as if an invisible force was forcing him to lay down. He couldn´t move an inch, only lay there and stay silent. Suddenly a dark glowing red became visible and a silhouette. A silhouette of a rodent, wearing a hat. He instantly recognized the figure as his own brother. The silhouette began moving like a shadow play. Suddenly a second rodent appeared. It didn´t take Lifty long to get the picture. It was himself and his brother running towards a building. Once inside he sees a square shaped box. But the moment the hat wearing figure touches the box a chandelier comes down and crushes him. Now the red slowly vanishes and leaves Lifty in the darkness once again. He can feel and incredible amount of dread rising inside. He wants to flail, to scream to close his eyes, but all attempts are futile. He is forced to stare into the darkness. Suddenly a big face appeared right in front of him, leaving him in silent horror and shock. It was the head of his brother degrading from perfectly fine to unrecognizably bruised. A mute show showing the mutilation of his brother. He started to pant heavily completely horrified. This can´t be happening! On a sudden the battered face started to speak: "Your fault…your fault…your fault…" No! Lifty thought to himself, his own mind as the only place to hear himself. His own mind, supposed to be a sanctuary, turning out to be a prison instead. The words ringing in his head. "Your fault…" tormenting him "Your fault…" on the edge of going insane "Your fault…"
"It will be your fault that the heist is a failure if you don´t get up soon!" Shifty shouted, slightly aggravated because of his murmuring brother "Lifty! Wake up!" It was already 2:37am, if they plan to rob cuddles efficiently, they should be on the way rather soon. As any verbal attempts to wake his brother seem to be futile he ponders the situation. The moment he got an idea he put on a mischievous grin. He grabbed his brother by his feet and began to pull him as hard as he could. "NO! HEL…" Lifty was cut short as he bumped his head on the floor "ow…" Shifty chuckled "Are you awake now?" "Yes… I am…" he said on the one side sleepy, on the other side utterly disgruntled. "Good. Now get up we have to go now!"
With that said both went out of their house. Cuddles home was almost right next to them, so they don´t have to bother using their van as it would rouse suspicion, something they really wanted to be prevented.
"You know the drill, just look for any places reminiscent to places money is kept in or for tiny but valuable things. He´s still not alive so we have the freedom to look everywhere we want to." Lifty nodded, utterly impressed by his brother's cunning. Without hesitation he took his lock pick and prepared himself to open the front door. To his surprise the door opened just by pushing it. "It seems that Cuddles forgot to lock the door once again. How nice of him to think about us." Shifty said with an astute smile on his face, but Lifty couldn´t help but feel somehow odd. First this dream he had and couldn´t forget, and then the fact that this heist goes way too smooth for his taste. Something feels off but he couldn´t point the finger on it.
They went in rapidly and closed the door "Like last time? I go to the kitchen while you look up his bedroom for anything valuable?" He suggested but turned to his brother as he didn´t get any response from him. Lifty was just standing there staring into nothing particularly. "Lif?" The hatless raccoon came back to reality "Oh…ahem yes we do that." This sudden absence of his brother was unlikely him, but Shifty shrugged that thought off and went on as planned.
Actually, last time they robbed Flippy, Shifty went for the bathroom, but he doesn´t expect anything of use in Cuddles' bathroom. In the kitchen he scrutinized every drawer, every jar and every not so conspicuous spot in a tremendous speed. The years of thievery gave him the ability to recognize a paradigm the tree friends use to hide their belongings. He opened the cookie jar hidden behind the microwave and in there were indeed a few banknotes. "Strike!" He whispered to himself. Opening the kitchen cabinet, he sees a small golden chalice hidden behind a few cups. With a victorious smile, he takes it and puts it into his backpack. Suddenly he hears some quiet footsteps coming from the stairs. His instincts kicking in, he gets a little alerted but calms down immediately as the only person who could possible be in here was his brother.
"Did you find something useful?" Lifty asked "Yeah, I found a bit money hidden in a cookie jar and this golden chalice." Lifty whistled at the sight of the shimmering article. "And you?" Lifty shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly but couldn´t resist the urge to smirk as he revealed a small jewel case. By opening it he showed his brother a large sum of money, enough for living three more months in their apartment. Overwhelmed by the bliss rising in his chest he hugged his brother tightly, squeezing him a little out of joy.
Both can´t believe the amount of luck they suddenly have. First Flaky presenting them with a large sum of food and then this heist with literally no resistance. Closing the door behind them while ensuring that they left as less evidence as possible, they both went on the way quiet but happily back to their home. "At least it stopped raining like crazy, I hate it when…" But Shifty was cut short as he heard the sound of squealing wheels, emitting from a car with dangerous acceleration. At the sight of the front window they both could spot the mole at the wheel. "And another car accident incoming, why is this blindworm even driving a car?" Shifty taunted but suddenly the car changed its direction abruptly aiming directly at Shifty. "Oh god, NO!" Shifty and yelled and Lifty saw his incoming doom in shock. Suddenly the world seemed to slow down entirely, and everything flashed before Lifty's eyes. The happenings at Flippy's estate, the fate he accepted and the dream which occurred to him. Suddenly without hesitation Lifty ran towards his brother, tackling him out of the way. Shifty fell on the ground hard and moaned at his aching joints and jaw as he fell face-first down. He looked back to his brother attempting to shout his name, but it was to late. The mole already crushed Lifty between the car and the fence, leaving behind a pile of red goo with shreds of green fur. The mole got out of his car but he wasn´t unscathed. A shard of glass was piercing through his chest, enabling him only to go a few meters before falling unconscious and bleeding to death. "Lifty…Why did you…Why would you do something like this to you?"
But Shifty didn´t get the time to mourn, in the distance another sound was heard, and he took his things, running as fast as possible to his home. Once he arrived he couldn´t believe that he got away alive…again. As soon as he closed his door he slides down to the ground with his back against the inside of the door, panting heavily. Suddenly a loud thunder strikes, and it began to rain once more. It was a heavy rain, a rain which leads hearts full of sadness deeper into their sorrows. Shifty shuffled slowly up the stairs into their bedroom, not even caring of stowing the loot. He fell down to his bed, somehow relieved that he survived but also somehow melancholic. He couldn´t explain why. His brother will be back in a few hours. He looked at his alarm clock, 4:16am. Not even 4 hours until his brother is back. And yet his brother died without him a second time. A second time he survived and is left alone to slumber ´til the rise of dawn without his brother by his side. All the time he betrayed his brother, he never got the sensation to feel this explicit sentiment. Dying was never a matter, but solitude is.
He shed a few tears but fell asleep before he could cry.
Shifty moaned grumpily as he got awake. The cloudy sky hindered the sun to wake him, but the penetrating sound of the ringing doorbell managed to wake him nonetheless. He got up drowsily, but as last night's event occurred to his mind, he once again rushed to the bed site of his brother, this time ready to console him for real.
But his brother was peacefully asleep. His face expresses a disturbing form of serenity, as if his brother was actually happy about his decision to dump himself.
The repetitive sound of their doorbell was interrupting his trail of thoughts and he went downstairs. "Who could that possibly be? Did Cuddles actually get a glimpse of our robbery?" Sticking to that thought, Shifty readied himself for a fight. At this point he wished they had a peephole at the front door. He opened the door, but it wasn´t cuddles standing there. "Hi Shifty." Flaky said in a genuine friendly tone. "F…Flaky what are you doing here? I mean, not that you disturb or anything but,…" He had trouble finding the correct words. This porcupine never ceased to perplex him. She chuckled "I wanted to thank you." Shifty, now even more confused "Thank me? For what?" Flaky, now in a stern but still friendly expression "As I opened my letterbox today I found my wallet inside of it, with not a single penny missing. I was totally defenseless after my demise but you didn´t use that to your advantage. You returned the wallet to me fair-minded and spared me of the distress of searching it literally everywhere. That was really nice of you and I wanted to thank you for that." With that said Flaky turned around, looking over her shoulder while walking away "Have a nice day, greet Lifty for me."
"I sure will, no problem…" He murmured to himself, dumbfounded by the recent happenings. As he closed the door he felt something completely new to him. It was a strange but still pleasant feeling, a positive feeling resulting from a positive deed.
